Link band for ornamental and useful purposes



R. EINISELE May 4, 1937.

V LINK BAND FOR ORNAMENTAL AND USEFUL PURPOSES Filed Feb. 12. 1936 J;3:: ii 11:: 2 MI .m L 5 iTED STATES PATENT OFFICE LINK BAND FORORNAMENTAL AND USEFUL PURPOSES Robert Einsele, Pforzheim, Germany,assignor to Friedrich Doppenschmitt, Pforzheim, Germany ApplicationFebruary 12, 1936, Serial No. 63,546 In Germany February 23, 1935 6Claims.

This invention relates to a link band of flat links arranged side byside.

It is known to arrange side by side plate-shaped links on wire plaitingor on woven strips of wire by means of turned over edges engaging overthe edges of the carrier strip so that they form a closed harness overthe one side and over the edges of the carrier band.

Such band body which is employed for the manufacturing of bracelets,especially wristlets for watches, but also of waist-belts, neck bandsand ankle bands, possesses the inconvenience that the armouring producedby the plate-links loses its closeness if, in the course of time,lengthening of the carrier band occurs by continuous use. The totaltensile stress of the band must be taken up by the strip of wire fabricor plaited wirework and it happens thus that, besides the lengthening,tearing of the carrier band from the edge may occur as anotherinconvenience of the band body.

The inconveniences are overcome by the invention.

The novelty consists in that the flat links, arranged side by side onthe carrier strip, are connected with one another not only by the stripbut also by other means.

In this manner the tensile stress is distributed on two elements, i. e.the carrying band and the chain-like body -formed by the connected fiatlinks, so that lengthening or even tearing of the carrying band isabsolutely prevented.

Several embodiments of the invention are 11- lustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows in top plan view a portion of a link band according to thefirst first form of construction.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section along the middle line of Fig. 2.

A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 5 in section alongthe middle line and in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 which are cross sections of theband showing different forms of the bottom.

Fig. 9 shows in elevation a punched piece for a flat band link.

The carrying band a consists of a strip of wire fabric or plaited wirework produced in known manner by hand or by a machine. Milanese plaitingis preferably employed on account of its pliability and flexibility. Theflat links b arranged side by side on the carrying band a have each onea slot 0 through which two connection elements :1 engage and effect theconnection of the links I).

The connecting element 41 has two hooks e (Fig. 4) or e1 (Fig. 5),hooked into the slots 0 of two adjacent links 12. The hooks e arecompletely rolled inwards so that the end edge of each hook bearsagainst the inner side of the corresponding connecting element (1 andgripover the corresponding web f of the flat link I). In order that thecomplete rolling in of the hooks e up to contact with the inner side ofthe connecting elements (1 can be carried through, the flat links b havecut out portions g through which the ends of the hooks engage (Fig. 4)Such a connection of the links bis very solid and can be exposed tostrong tensile stresses.

The hooks e1 (Fig. 5) abut at their ends, and as they are not rolled incompletely, cutting out of the links I) at g is not necessary.

The fiat links I) connected in the manner described or in any othersuitable manner, are held on the carrying band a by'folded over orrolled over ends h. As shown in Figs. 3 and 8 the end i is sunk in thecarrying band a by fiat pressing in, whereas the end h shown in Fig. 6is pressed into the carrying band a as the end is rolled in like a claw.The-end edge i may, however, rest upon the carrying band a as shown inFig. '7 or be bevelled and rounded.

As shown in Figs. 3, 6 and '7 a shoulder k corresponding to thethickness of the connecting elements d is formed on the visible surfaceof the band body by the provision of the connecting elements d. Thisshoulder will disappear more or less, if, as shown in Fig. 8, the fiatlinks b have a slight outwardly directed moulding m.

In order to prevent the band borders h from impeding the pliabllit-y andflexibility. of the band body, if their lateral edges n strike againsteach other during the bending of the band body, they are tapered towardsthe edges i (Fig. 9).

The invention is evidently not limited to the embodiments illustrated.It comprises any forms of construction which utilize the inventive idea.Hereto belongs, for instance, a band body in which the flat links I)have, instead of one slot, several transverse slots side by side, and inwhich consequently two flat links b are joined by means of severalconnecting elements d. The carrier band a. instead of being made of wirefabric or wire work, may be made of any other suitable pliable andflexible material, such asleather, cloth, blade spring material and thelike.

I claim:-

1. A link band for ornamental and useful purposes, especially forbracelets and wristlets for watches, which consists of a band strip ofpliable and flexible material. such as wire fabric and wire plaiting,flat links the ends of which grip over the side edges of said bandstrip, said links having each a slot, and of elements for additionallyconnecting said links, said elements having hook-shaped ends hooked intosaid slots of said links, the edges of said hook-shaped ends joining onthe rear side of said flat links between this rear side and said bandstrip.

. 2. A link band for ornamental and useful purposes, especially forbracelets and wristlets for watches, which consists of a band strip ofpliable and flexible material, such as wire fabric and wire plaiting,flat links the ends of which grip over the side edges of said bandstrip, said links having each a slot, and of elements for additionallyconnecting said links, said elements having rolled up ends engagingthrough said slots of said flat links and bearing almost against theinner surface of their own element.

3. A link band for ornamental and useful purposes, especiallyforbracelets and wristlets for watches, which consists of a band strip ofwire fabric and wire plaiting, of flat links the ends of which grip overthe edges of said band strip and are tapered and sunk in the band strip,said flat links having slots, and of means for additionally connectingthe flat links and having hook-shaped ends hooked into said slots ofsaid fiat links and joining on the rear side of said flat links betweenthis rear side and said band strip.

. 4. A link band for ornamental and useful purposes,- especially forbracelets and wristlets for watches, which consists of a band strip ofwire fabric and wire' plaiting, of flat links the ends of which gripover the edges of said band strip and are tapered and sunk in the bandstrip and having slots, and links connecting said flat links and havinghook-shaped ends rolled in so that, engaging through said slots of saidflat links, they almost touch the inner side of their own connectinglinks. Y

5. A link band for ornamental and useful purposes, especially forbracelets and wristlets for watches, which consists of a band strip ofpliable and flexible material, such as wire fabric and wire plaiting,fiat links the ends of which are tapered and grip over the side edges ofsaid bandstrip, said links having each a slot, and v of elements foradditionally connecting said links, said elements having hook-shapedends hooked into said slots of said links, the edges of said hook-shapedends Joining on the rear side of said flat links between this rear sideand said band strip. v

6. A link band for ornamental and useful purposes, especially forbracelets and wristlets for watches, which consists of a band strip ofpliable and flexible material, such as wire fabric and wire plaiting,fiat links the ends of which are tapered and grip over the side edges ofsaid band strip, said links having each a slot, and of eleme'nts foradditionally connecting said links said elements having rolled up endsengaging through said slots of said flat links and bearing almostagainst the inner surface of their own element.

ROBERT EINSELE.

